A Masked Getaway

Ladybug

Night time on San Valentino Island during the contest was a formal affair. People dressed up, went to the bars and restaurants, spent a small fortune on alcohol consumption—and watched Mr and Mrs Valentine Island.

"You'll be pleased to know, tonight will only consist of a short challenge where you need to answer four simple questions about your other half to move onto the next stage. Sort of like a Mr and Mrs quiz."

Anthoney had gathered all the prospective champions side of stage ready for their evening entertaining the crowds—and completely embarrassing themselves.

After their talk last night, Ladybug was feeling even less confident than she should be. Not only was she thinking she and Chat Noir knew nothing about each other, but she was also dealing with the knowledge that Adrien Agreste had managed to make her fall for him again as Catwalker. She felt like an absolute idiot for not putting it together, and even more so that he'd tricked her again.

She'd managed to push the information to the back of her mind for most of the day, but here she was, face to face with the green-haired goon who was as sweet as pie and as beautiful as a sunset...or at least she used to think that—asshole!

She couldn't help but wonder if her old crush (or soon-to-be ex-friend) was coated in honey or something. What was it with this guy and holding out a hand in help that made her fall head over heels? Though not to say she had fallen in love with him that night—but give it more than an hour and she would have had more than those few (dozen) dreams about him. However, now that she knew Catwalker was Adrien Agreste, she felt like someone had told her Santa wasn't real.

"How many points do we need to get through to the next round?" Chat Noir asked, his hand gripping firmly around her waist. Years ago, she would have seen the move as possessive or territorial, but now she saw it as him anchoring himself against the impending uncertainty of what was about to happen.

Over the past couple of days, he'd opened up to her, with this afternoon a momentous change to their relationship. Gone was the façade he showed to the world as he opened up about not understanding who he was. She couldn't help but allow her heart to grow for him as he tried to explain the meaning behind his getaway.

His anxiety seemed to beat a level to easily battle hers. They hadn't relied on each other enough, the time spent together so far only cementing the fact they were both living under unrealistic expectations. She couldn't help but think this bonding activity was going to be quite the change to their relationship.

Adrien and Kagami stood beside them looking every inch the loved-up power couple. Kagami with her beautiful black flare pants and red crop top, Adrien matching in his black shorts and red shirt. It made her want to rip it off him and ask him why he was wearing her colours, but she wouldn't. She wouldn't want to waste her time on him.

"The most points go through. The least will be out." Anthoney explained, everyone sucking up a rather vast amount of oxygen. Adrien smirked, his eyes moving directly to Chat Noir, it what could only be described as an unwritten challenge.

She really wasn't in the mood to play games, especially with someone with more faces than a die.

"Ladybug and Chat Noir, we would like to save you for last. Keep the audience in their seats; there's a lot of our visitors rooting for you both."

Adrien scoffed before Kagami elbowed him with a sharp jab to the ribs and he started to cough instead. There was something not quite right about the two of them. She'd seen them together before and this wasn't anything like that, it was almost as though Adrien was a whole other person, someone moulded by Kagami into the man she (now) despised.